Casket container



June 13, 1939. D, TORRlCELL] i 2,162,137

CASKET CONTAINER Filed Aug. 16, 1938 ig JNf ENTOR. 620 Zirrzcaffa' ATTORNEY.

Patented June 13, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in casket containers and is directed more particularly to the provision of a burial vault for enclosing caskets of all kinds which is capable of easy assembly and which is more convenient to use than are the types of vaults heretofore used.

The principal objects of the invention are directed to the provision of a casket container which is adapted and arranged to be placed in a grave excavation in order to receive and contain therein a casket. According to the novel features of the invention, the burial vault is assembled from pre-cast cement members or sections which are secured together in a unique way so as to provide a unitary structure.

It has always been one objection of previous casket containers that they are too heavy and bulky and cannot be moved from. place to place without a great deal of effort and trouble and it has been almost impossible for one man alone to carry such containers. According to my invention, I provide a container of the knock-down type which, as contrasted with the conventional container consisting of integral bottom, side and end walls and a top therefor, includes several separate pieces or sections which may be quickly and easily assembled or disassembled and which is, consequently, more easy to handle and more convenient to pack in compact form for shipping purposes. There is the further advantage that one man alone can assemble or disassemble the container. Furthermore, one man can even set the container up in an excavation with- I out aid from anyone else which is a distinct advantage.

It is another object of my invention to provide an attractive container which accomplishes all of the purposes as set forth above and which still can be made more economically and with fewer operations in the manufacture of parts as well as in assembling than prior devices heretofore known in the art.

One very important feature in my invention is the provision of a container which is free from bolts and the like. No bolts are needed in the structure inasmuch as the container consists of interfitting parts which interlock by themselves without the aid of additional hardware of any kind.

Still another object is the provision of a device of the above character which consists of relatively simple parts adapted to be readily assembled, and when assembled to be positively and securely retained in operative relation. When assembled, the parts cannot be readily separated from each other either accidentally or otherwise.

Various other novel features, advantages and objects of my invention will hereinafter more fully appear in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a top end section;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a top intermediate section;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a side section;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an end section;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a bottom intermediate section;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a bottom end section;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view on a small scale of the various sections of the container in assembled position; and

Fig. 8 is a broken perspective view of a support for the container.

Like numerals refer to like parts in different figures in the drawing. Referring now to the drawing more in detail, the invention will be more fully described.

The various sections, some of which are shown in Figs 1 to 6 inclusive, are held in assembled relation, as will appear, by means of interfitting parts so as to provide a hollow container into which a casket may be inserted for burial purposes. While these various sections are preferably made of cement because of its durability, it will be understood that other materials could be substituted therefor without defeating the main purposes or objects of the invention.

In Figure 6, a bottom end section It is shown. This has generally fiat upper and lower faces, but it is provided with an upstanding tongue I 2 which extends transversely at one end upon its upper side.

Spaced inwardly of the marginal edges of the section If) is a central raised portion [4 forming lips ll, l8 and I9 as shown.

The raised portion I4 is grooved longitudinally 4 on opposite sides so as to provide tongues l6 and. it as shown and by this arrangement a continuous groove around three sides of the raised section l4 and a lip on the fourth side is provided.

Another bottom) end section, which is not shown, is similar to the bottom end section just described with the exception that a portion of the upraised portion, corresponding to M in Fig. 6, projects outwardly beyond the marginal edge of the section so as to form a lip, for reasons as will hereinafter appear. a

A- bottom section 20 is shown inFig. 5 which has generally fiat upper and lower faces. An upraised portion 2| on the upper face is spaced inwardly of the marginal edges of the section so as to provide lips 23, 25, and 26 on three edges of the section. A part of the upraised portion 2| extends outwardly beyond the. section 20 proper so as to provide a lip 22 as shown.

' The upraised portion of the bottom section is also grooved longitudinally on opposite sides so as to provide tongues 24 and 24 as shown.

There may be any desired number. of the sections 20 and there are two end sections 10 which constitute a bottom for the container. The said sections l0 and 20 are, in the assembling of the container, disposed adjacent one another with the tongues 16 and I6 and 24 and 24 in alignment so that said longitudinal grooves coincide so as to form continuous grooves. The lips 22 are adapted to overlap lips such as 18 and 23 all to the endthat varioussections fit' tightly and snugly into each other.

To form acomplete bottom wall for the container, the two end sections .10 are disposed in opposed relation with the desired number of bottom sections'20 th'erebetvveen. With such'a feature, the length of the container obviously can be regulated as desired.

' An end wall section is indicated by 36in Fig. 4. This member includes an outer part of a certain width and" height with an inner part of equal width'butgreaterheight. That is, the inner part projects above and below the outer put so. as to provide lips-32 and 32- at the top and the bottom edges of the section.

Vertically extending grooves 34 are provided adjacentthe opposite side edges of the said inner part of this section 30 and these grooves extend through the inner sides of the lips 32 as clearly shown.

There are two such end wall. sections 32 which are. substantially alike. In assembling, sections 611 are disposed vertically with respect to sections H) with the lower lips 32 being seated in the grooves at the inside of lips'|2. Furthermore, the grooves'in part l4' of sections IEI' ar e in alignment with the grooves 34 in sections 39.

One of a plurality of side sections 48 is shown in Fig." 3. While these maybe unitary and of suflicientlength to extend the entire length be tween the en'd'walls when in working position, several smaller plecesma'y be used to. form one section" 40; if it is desired.

According tothe preferred form of the invention, a plurality of sections 40'are disposed on top of one another to close up the side of the container: This is not necessary, however, inasmuch as a single-section 40, if it is of sufficient height, maybe used if it isso desired.

Each sidewall member 40 has a longitudinal groove in its lower-side between spaced parts .2. An'upstanding tongue 44- extends longitudinally of the other side of thesection 40; Provided on opposite ends oi the section are vertical tongues 46 which=are'- received' in grooves 34 of the end sections 30' and tongues I6 and 24 of the bottom members are furthermore received in the grooves between-the parts-42 ofthe lowermost side member;

In assembly, with the end and bottom walls parts 42 thereof straddling the tongues l6 and 24 above mentioned, and as explained, the projecfaces of the sections 40 a notch or groove such as 48 which is adapted to facilitate manual engagement of the sections in carrying the sections from place to place. Obviously, such a feature may, if desired, be incorporated into all of the various members and sections so as to facilitate handling thereof in the same manner.

It will now be appreciated that with the side sections fitted together with the bottom and end wall sections an open container is formed. The means. of closing this container will now be described. r 7

One of two top end sections-is indicated by 50 in Fig. 1- and is similar toone of the two bottom end sections. This section 50 has a transverse groove 52 adjacent its ends and longitudinal are provided and one of these is shown as 60. in Fig. 2. These are similar to bottom wall sec-' tions 20 and have longitudinal grooves 62 adjacent opposite sides as well as lips 64" and 66 on opposite ends of the section'asshown- The said lip 54 of the one end section 5|] overlaps the lip 66 of the adjacent top wall section 68 and the 1ip64of said adjacent section overlaps the lip of the next adjacent section. The lip 64 of the last intermediate section 60 will, of course, overlap the said inwardly extending lip of the adjacent end section; all tothe end'that a closure member is. provided thereby.

One modification of the invention may consist of a variation in the types of grooves-and tongue's which are provided as explained heretofore. For example, the grooves may be made' deeper in their central portions then along their longitudinal edges. This may be accomplished by makingthe grooves concaved. The abutting tongues may likewise be curved'soas to be substantially complemental to theformof the'grooves in the interfitting sections. I

Kit is desired, a support lllmay be disposed underneath the completed containerlongitudinally thereof. Two or moremaybe' disposed in spaced relationship" under the container and these are used" to facilitate'in thehandlingof the assemb'led'container if it is desired to move it as a'unitary structure. Insets'12 maybe provided at the opposite end'sof the support which are adapted to receive straps, hooks or the like toenable the user to handle the container more easily) When assembleda container is provided which has smo'oth'surface's-on all sides both on the interior and the exterior.

When shipping orstoring the sections; the same may be"convenientlypackedinasmuch as the various top, bottom and end sections are of the same relative size and the side sections are of another convenient size.

While I have described the invention in great detail and with respect to the present preferred form thereof, it is not desired to be limited thereto since changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A knock-down casket container comprising in combination, a horizontal bottom wall section formed to have an upstanding tongue at each of its opposite ends and a groove at the inner side of each tongue, said bottom wall section also being provided with a pair of longitudinally-extending tongues spaced inwardly from its side marginal edges, vertical side wall sections extending upwardly from the opposite sides of said bottom wall section and provided with tongues on their upper sides and grooves in their lower sides which receive the last-named tongues on the bottom wall section, vertical end wall sections extending upwardly from the opposite ends of said bottom wall section and provided with tongues on their upper sides and tongues on their lower sides which fit into said grooves in said bottom wall section, said end wall sections being provided with vertical grooves on their inner faces adjacent their side edgee. which receive opposite ends of said side wall sections, and a horizontal cover section provided with grooves in its lower side which receive said tongues on the upper sides of said end and side wall sections, all adapted and arranged whereby said sections are held in engagement with each other in set up relation so as to form a hollow receptacle.

2. A knock-down casket container comprising in combination, a horizontal bottom wall including a plurality of adjacently-disposed sections, the outermost of said sections having an upstanding tongue at its outer end and a groove at the inner side of the tongue and all of said sections being provided with a pair of longitudinally-extending tongues spaced inwardly from their side marginal edges, vertical side walls extending upwardly from the opposite sides of said bottom wall, each side wall including a plurality of superposed sections and each section being provided with a tongue on its upper side and a groove in its lower side, the groove in the lowermost of the last-named sections receiving the last-named tongues on the bottom wall sections, vertical end walls extending upwardly from the opposite ends of said bottom wall and provided with tongues on their upper sides and tongues on their lower sides which fit into said grooves in said bottom wall, said end walls also being provided with vertical grooves on their inner faces adjacent their side edges which receive opposite ends of said side wall sections, and a horizontal cover including a plurality of adjacently-disposed sections, said sections being provided with grooves in its lower side which receive said tongues on the upper sides of said end and side wall sections, all adapted and arranged whereby said sections are held in engagement with each other in set up relation so as to form a hollow receptacle.

DECIO TORRICELLI. 

